Cigarette case



June 27, 1944. J. DU MAls CIGARETTE cAsE case embodying my invention.

Patented June 27, 1944 UNITED srATss PATENT ori-ICE CIGARETTE CASE Leo J. Du Mais, Chicago, Ill. Application July 28, 1941, Serial No. 404,355

(Cl. G-41.2)

The present invention relates to a cigarette 4 Claims.

case, and is more particularly directed to a type of case from which cigarettes may be projected to be selectively gripped to be withdrawn from the case. y

It is an object of the present invention to pro# vide a small, sturdy, compact and inexpensive cigarette case, which is simple in construction, durable and easy in operation, and in which case, a full package of cigarettes may be inserted and retained in the manner packed in the package,- and with means whereby they may be readily projected from the case to be individually removed.

Another object is the provision of a cigarette case having a cigarette tensioning means therein whereby the cigarettes are constantly urged in one direction to be projected in tiers, rendering them accessible to be selectively gripped to be removed from the case. v

A further object is the provision of a cap means serving with a cover to tightly close the case, and which cap means is movable with the projected cigarettes when the projecting means n is actuated, and said cap means serving to engage and force the return of the remaining cigarettes after one has been removed, and the projecting means is restored to its normal position.

And a further object is the provision of cigarette projecting means having the cap means arranged for movement therewith and with manually manipulative means operatively connected to the projector means for effecting the projecting movement of the projector means and the cap means.

' end of the case for bodily inserting the cigarettes as contained in the original package; the provision of shelf means on the projector means which extends through and is aligned with the bottom wall of the case for receiving cigarettes thereon,

and the opening through which the shelf extends, serves to dispose of loose particles of tobacco which may be sifted from the cigarettes during their stay in the container.

vFurther objects and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description and drawy ing, in which: Y Y

Figure lis a perspective view of the cigarette Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cigarette case in open position, and with a package of cigarettes, shown in Adot and dash lines,y to be inserted therein, and with the lower portion of the case Abroken away to show the position of the parts when the case is open.-

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective View illustrating the position the projector means and cap means assume when a tier of cigarettes is projected from the case, and shows also the opening through which loose particles of tobacco are sifted.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the projector means illustrating the cigarette-engaging shelf at the lower end thereof.

Figure 6 is a detail perspectiveview of the actuating means for the cigarette projector means.

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail .fragmentary sectional view showing the spring means coacting between the projector means and cap meansand exerting a pressure to throw the cap means lto open position when the projector means is actuated to project the cigarettes. Y -f Figure 8 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional vievv showing the spring means for the cigarette tensioning means, and also the spring means for urging the cover to open position.`

The cigarette case is illustrated as of a size for receiving the standard size of cigarettes, or may be of a size for receiving the longer or king size which has recently been introduced on the market.

The cigarette case comprises a container I0, which as shown, is preferably formed of lrelatively thin sheet material which may be-embellished to provide various designs, etc., and which will also serve to reinforce or strengthen the container. This container is shown as being substantially rectangular in shape, so as to closely resem-ble the size of a package of cigarettes, and has side walls II and I2 and en d walls I3`and I 4 and va bottom wall I5, and an open top end I6. The end wall I3 of the container is provided at near its `top edge with a'formed hinge Il' and with a relatively small opening AI 3 located a sho-rt distance below the hinge and centrally of the wall. The hinge I'l serves to pivotally support a U-shaped actuating member I5 which is also provided with hinge formation 2G at the top edge of its wall portion 2i to coact with the hinge portion Il of the container Ill and provided with a hinge pin Ila to support the same. The wall portion 2| of the member I9 is also provided with a projecting finger member 22 which extends through-the opening Iin the end wall I3 when the U-shaped member I9 is in position in the container. Each of the legs 23-23 of the U-shaped member I9 is provided at its free end with pin-receiving portions 24-24, which receive a hinge pin 25 extending through hinge formations 26 of a slidable or projector member 21. This slidable or projector member 21 is provided at its lower end portion with an integral cigarette-receiving shelf 28 which extends through an opening V29 in the bottom wall I5 of the container, and'is retained iiush therewith under the tension of a spring 30 which has one end secured to the hinge pin 25 and its other end secured to an ear 3I xed to the end wall I4.

The hinge pin 25 also serves to pivotally support a cap means 32 which is substantially L-shaped providing a wall 32a which is formed to provide a shoulder 32h that normally rests on the edge I4a of the end wall I4, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 7, and the wall 32a, of the cap means has its lower edge provided with a hinge formation 33 to be engaged by the hinge pin 25. The cap means 32 is also -provided Vwith'outwardly directed ears 32C which Vengage the open top end I of the container i3, and these ears serve with the shoulder 32h to limit the restoring movement of the cap 25 and the projector member 21. A torsion spring 34, which has its body coiled around the hinge pin 25 and has one end 35 engaging the cap means 32 and its other end 3B engaging the slidable-projector member 21, serves to exert a constant outward pressure on the cap means 32 which keeps the back wall 32a thereof in sliding contact with the edge I4a of the end wall I4 of the container.

A relatively-wide cigarette tensioning spring 31 is pivotally carried to swing in the container on the hinge pin I1o, and is of a length to extendto near the bottom wall I5 of the container, and when swung in its upward position, will engage formed stops I9a on the'U-shaped member I 9. This tensioning spring 31 is normally urged in upward position by means of a relatively light torsion spring which has its body 38 coiled on hinge pin ila and one end 39 underlying the tension spring 31 and its other end di) engaging end wall I3.

The hinge pin I 'la also pivotally supports a cover 4I which is of relatively shallow formation having side walls 42-42 which are arranged to engage and rest upon the top edge of the side walls II and I2 of the container iii, and whch cover is of a length to serve with the cap means 32 to close the opening I5 of the container. Each of the side walls 42 of the cover 4I are provided at their free end portions with downwardly projecting ears 43-43 arranged to closely hug the side walls II and I2 of the container and which ears are provided with openings 43o-33a which serve to receive outwardly projecting bevelled lugs 44-44 on the side wallsy II and I2 of the container.

A torsion spring 45 has its body coiled on hinge pin I1a and has one end 46 engaging the cover #il and its other end 41 engaging the end wall I3. This springV 45 exerts an upward pressure on the cover which is normally lockedr in closed position by reason of the ears I3-43 engaging lugs iid- 43.

When the case is to be opened for nlling, the side walls II and I2 of the container are pressed to cause them to spring inwardly sniiiciently to release the lugs 44-44 from ears S3- 43, which renders the cover 4I free to be impelled to open position by its spring S5. Then the wrapper A on the package of cigarettes B (dot and dash lines the package to expose the cigarettes. At this time, the finger member 22 is pressed which opens the cap means 32, and the exposed ends ol the cigarettes are forced into the container against the tensioning spring 31 which rocks downwardly against the tension of its spring 35 and frictionally retains the cigarettes while the remaining portion ofthe wrapper A is removed. The cigarettes are then pressed into the container and the finger member 22 is released to close the cap means 32, and the cover 4I is then closed against the tension of its spring 45 and releasably retained in closed position by the ears 43-43 engaging lugs 44-44.

After the cigarettes are in the case, the tension spring 31 which is of very thin and flexible spring material, is constantly in engagement with the cigarettes by reason of the tension exerted thereon by spring 38. These springs 31 and 38 form the tensioning means for the cigarettes to urge them in one direction, and as the cigarettes are v projected and removed, the remaining cigarettes will be bodily moved toward the projector means until they have all been projected and removed from the container. Due to the flexibility ofthe tension spring 31, it will yieldingly engage the cigarettes to exert an even pressure along their length without bending or mari-ing them in any way while retaining them aligned in rows.

The projector means 21 is of a width to loosely lit with the container and to accommodate three cigarettes. In order to guide the cigarettes in upright position, the projectormeans is provided with longitudinally formed guides 21a that project inwardly, and as the cigarettes are :forced by the tensioning meanscomprising springs 31 and 38 against the projector means 21 and over the shelf V23 thereof, the cigarettes will be guided by the guides 21a intov the spaces 21h, 21C and 21d (Fig. 5).

After the cigarette case has been filled and it is desired to remove a cigarette, the finger member f 22 is pressed inwardly, which effects an upward Fig. 2), is torn o to approximately the middle of .75

rocking movement of the U-shaped member I9 and carries the projector means 21 therewith with'three cigarettes which are normally in the spaces 21b,'21c and 21d, and which cigarettes are engaged by the shelf 23 of the projector means.

This upward movement of the U-shaped member I9 also carries the cap means 32 therewith and when it has reached the limit of its movement, the cap means wil1 be bodily swung outwardly on hinge pin 25 by its spring 34 over the edge Illa of the end wall I4, which permits of easy access to the projected cigarettes. During this upward movement, the projected cigarettes slide longitudinally of the adjacent cigarettes which are withheld from movement therewith by the cover 4I. Asv it will be noted in Fig. 3, the container is approximately an eighth of an inch longer than the cigarettes and will permit of a slight longitudinal shifting movement of the remaining cigarettes, due to their frictional engagement with those being projected. This shifting movement causes the cigarettes to align themselves with respect to each other and prevents packing.

The cap means 32 which is normally flush with the cover, is also approximately an eighth of an inch above the cigarettes, and after the cigarettes are projected and one of them is removed, this additional space permits of the swinging movement to vertical position of the cap means over the remaining projected cigarettes during its restoring movement when the ngermember 22 is released, and the cap means then engages the top ends of the cigarettes and restores them Within the container.

During this projecting and shifting movement of the cigarettes, the loose particles of tobacco sfted therefrom, Will drop through the opening 29 in the bottom wall l5 of the container, thereby keeping the container relatively clean.

The ear 3l fixed to the vencl wall I4 also serves to guide the projector means 21 during its vertical sliding movements under the control of the U-shaped member I9, and the spring 30 which is xed to ear 3l and to the hinge pin 25, is of sufficient tension to restore the cap means against the tension of its spring 34 when the U-shaped member I9 is released.

While the projected cigarettes are being selectively removed, the guides 21a will retain the remaining cigarettes in upright position and prevent their tilting movement from side to side, while the tensioning means yieldingly retains them against the projecting means.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my inventiony and do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette case comprising, an open end container through which cigarettes may be positioned in the container, a pivoted spring-urged cover partially closing the' open end of said container and providing a reduced opening therein, means on said cover and container coacting to releasably lock the cover in closed position against its spring, a member having cigarette engaging means thereon, cap means pivoted on said member serving with said cover to close the container, manually manipulative means operatively connected With the said member for effecting movement thereof With the cap means to project cigarettes through said reduced opening whereby they may be individuallyiemoved, and a spring normally restoring the said member and cap means with the manipulative means.

2. A cigarette case comprising, a container for cigarettes having a reduced opening;A therein through which the cigarettes may be projected, means for projecting the cigarettes outwardly of the container through said reduced opening, manually manipulative means for effecting the projecting movement of said projecting means including spring means normally restoring said projecting and manipulative means, means exerting a tension on the cigarettes urging them toward the said projecting means, and stop means on said manipulative means engageable by said tension means for limiting the moveme; t of the tensioning means in one direction.

3. A cigarette case comprising, a container for cigarettes having a reduced opening Q through which the cigarettes are projected, cigarette projecting means, a cap means pivoted on said projector means for normally closing the@ said reduced opening and for opening the saine when cigarettes are projected, said cap means serving to engage to restore the projected Acigarettes when restored with said projecting means, a spring coacting With said projecting `means for restoring the same and cap means, and means on said cap means engaging the container limiting its restoring movement with the projecting means.

4. The combination of claim 3 hereoffin which there are guide means on the container for guiding said projecting means during its projecting and restoring movements. g

LEO J. DUv MAIS. 

